Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Human Plasmodium Knowlesi Infection Detected by Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Malaria

P. Knowlesi is a Malaria parasite that was regarded as a rare disease, mainly occuring in long-tailed and pig tailed macaques(monkey) but has occured sporadically in humans. There have been a large number of infected patients in Malaysian Borneo and other reports of human cases in Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore.
"Human Plasmodium Knowlesi infection detected by rapid diagnostic tests for malaria". Dispatch, volume 15 number 9 September 2009 http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/15/9/478.htm

P. Knowlesi is transmitted from monkeys to humans by mosquitos. Sx's of malaria include fever and flu like sx's, headach, muscle aches and tiredness, nausea, vomitting and diarrhea. May also cause juandice(yellow coloring of the skin and eyes). If not treated the infection can cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma and death.
http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/faqs.htm

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